A New Hope
by HuckleberryStories
Summary: Did you ever wonder what happened after Lucas and Maya graduated High School? Five years later, everything is going perfect for Maya. She's nearly ready to graduate, she has the internship of her dreams lined up for her, and most importantly she has her best friend Riley at her side. However everything gets tossed upside down when she runs into an old familiar face.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

Silence, why is it the small things that we take for granted? When you live in a sorority with 19 other girls, the word silence tends to become a distance memory. Taking a deep breath Maya stared down at her sketch pad as she laid on her bed, the sound of her pencil scratching across the paper was the only thing keeping the blonde at bay. College, it wasn't even something that Maya had thought possible, and yet four years later here she was.

Not only was she getting ready to graduate in a few months, but waiting for her back home was the internship of her dreams at the New York Art Gallery. Charcoal plastered against the side of her hand, the young blonde glanced up quickly as her best friend came bursting through the door, "You decent? You up? Good!" Riley squeal excitedly, a little too excitedly for Maya's taste. Reaching down to grab a rag from under her bed, she slowly sat up whipping the charcoal from her hand "What is wrong with you?" she asked softly, "Honey you look like you're going to explode." She mumbled tossing the rag back under her bed cleaning up the pile of sketch papers that were plastered all over her mattress.

"The girls and I are going out, and well I thought that maybe you would want to go with us tonight." Riley explained the grin plastered all over her sweet and innocent face. Raising a brow, Maya took a deep breath letting out a sigh, "And why exactly would I want to do that?" she asked softly. It was no surprise that Maya had only joined the sorority for Riley, after all she would do anything for her best friend. The only thing Maya wouldn't do, and that was getting pulled in by the snobby arrogant rich girls that lived in the house with her. If would have been up to her it would have only been her and Riley. "Peaches." Riley said softly walking over to her best friend's bed taking a seat on the edge, "Do you remember when I told you eventually you would have to do something, even though you didn't want to do it?" and as she said it Maya let out a defeated huff, "Tonight's that night, isn't it?" asked the blonde sighing, "Trust me, you don't want to miss what is going to happen tonight." Riley said excited jumping off the bed heading for the door. "Wait, where are we even going?" "The Rodeo." Riley admitted before bounding out of the room, leaving Maya defeatedly falling back onto her bed letting out a low groan.

It didn't take too long for her to get dressed, after all Maya's style hadn't really changed since they were back in high school. It was easy for her to throw on a pair of her old torn up jeans with one of her old band tees, finishing it off with her pair of combat boots and calling it a night. Riley however, god help that girl when she needed to pick out an outfit. Pacing the hall way outside of the bedrooms, Maya glanced down at her watch, "Riles, come on let's go. You said we were going to the Rodeo, not the prom." She called out. When Riley opened her bedroom door, Maya's brow perked up a smirk coming to her lips, "Nice hat Tex, you going to do a little cattle roping?" she asked giving her best impression jumping slightly twirling around a lasso.

The car ride wasn't as bad as she thought, sure the music was horrible but at least she was getting a night with her best friend. As they pulled up to their parking stall, she got out glancing around "So this is what an actual Rodeo looks like." She mumbled shutting the car door after Riley got out. "I don't think we've been to one of these since…." "Lucas." They both said together in perfect harmony. Running her hands through her blonde locks, Maya shrugged her shoulders. "Come'on don't want to miss the main event. Apparently, there is some world champion riding the bull tonight, supposed to be a good show." Riley said pulling Maya towards the opening gate. Just as the duo went under the sign, Maya grinned over at Riley, "Welcome to the Texas State Rodeo." She mumbled in her best announcers' voice, the two rushing through the gate.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Stale beer and popcorn, or at least that would be the smells you would expect to be coming from the farm grounds of a rodeo. Stopping at the first stand they saw, the duo grabbed a cup of beer, and of course Riley being Riley grabbed a bag of popcorn. "So, who exactly is it that's supposed to be riding tonight anyway?" Maya asked as they headed down the stairs of the bleachers. "Really, I don't know. I mean Elizabeth said he was cute, that's, enough, isn't it?" Riley asked grinning over at her best friend. Shaking her head, Maya couldn't help the laugh that escaped from her lips, "Whatever you say Sweetheart." Maya mumbled as the two of them came to their seats, the girls from the sorority already sat, and screaming with the crowd as a clown ran away from a bucking bull.

Sinking down into the cold steal of the bleachers, Maya glanced up at her friend who had already started cheering at the top of her lungs with the crowd. She never understood how Riley could get so excited over something so little, but then again it was why she loved her, and why she was her best friend. As the announcer came over the intercom, Maya stood to her feet. " _Good afternoon ladies and gentle cowboys!"_ the announcer yelled into the microphone, the crowd roaring in a loud field of screams in return. Glancing around the crowd, the young blonde pointed across the stadium as a young man the same age as them was carefully lowered down onto a bull, "That must be who's riding!" Maya yelled over the screaming of the crowd.

Why did that guy look so familiar? She just couldn't put it together, how in the hell would she ever know a professional bull rider anyway? Suddenly it clicked, no it couldn't be. He would never be that stupid, would he? Glancing over at Riley, she nudged her softly in the side, "Riles." She called out, "Is that who I think it is?" but as Riley turned her head looking over at the familiar stranger, her face dropped. Suddenly it wasn't just Maya that recognized the rider, but so did Riley. Taking a deep breath, Maya let out a soft gasp of realization. _"Alright folks, it's time for the main event. Tonight, riding Bertha, we have ourselves a very special treat. 3-time world Broncho champion…. LUCAS FRIAR."_ And as the name echoed overhead the two girls just stared at their friend as the gates busted open, and out came flying the bull with Lucas hanging on for dear life.

It shouldn't have been humanly possible to hang onto a bull, especially when its sole purpose was to buck you off and practically stomp your face in with its hooves. The longer that he held on, the more panicked Maya felt herself becoming, "I'll be back." She said quickly, before she took off running down the steps of the bleachers. Coming to a stop at the railing, Maya grabbed ahold of the bars and she was sure at that moment, she was holding onto that bar harder than Lucas was holding onto the reign of the bull, well ok maybe not that hard. It was just then, Lucas lost his grasp and went flying off the back of the bull and, flying hitting the ground with a soft thud. His hat skidding across the dirt floor over to her feet, Maya scooped it up quickly as the cowboy quickly moved out of the way of the charging bull. Throwing his hands into the air, Lucas yelled at the crowd as he glanced over at the timer, 8 seconds. How could it only have been 8 seconds? To Maya that 8 seconds felt like an entire life time. Just as he turned around heading back to the gate, she moved quick. Jumping up on the gate she held out his hat, "Hey Ranger Rick, you forgot something!" she called out making him stop in his place. Turning around slowly, it was the first time in 5 years his and Maya's eyes locked. The smile pulling at his lips, made the same grin pull at hers, "It's alright, keep it." He said softly before he headed back toward the gate.

Falling back on the heels of her feet, Maya let out a soft laugh placing the hat on the top of her head, it falling over her eyes, quickly adjusting it. Hearing footsteps coming up behind her, she turned around noticing Riley staring over at her, "What?" she asked softly. Shaking her head, Riley let out a soft laugh, "What just happened?" the brunette asked glancing over as Lucas walked through the gate of the hold, "It's just Huckleberry being a Huckleberry." She said smiling to herself. Grabbing Riley softly by the arm, she pulled her softly back up the steps, "You do know the girls are going to ask you a million questions, right?" Riley asked softly following her best friend closely behind, "Which is exactly why we aren't going back to our seats." Maya said quickly running past the group of girls that had already started to gawk in her direction, "Then where are we going?" Riley asked trying to keep up with her, "Too see Huckleberry, he has some explaining to do."


End file.
